Saison-Brett - Boulevard Brewing Co.

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.08/5  rDev -6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap @ Bittercreek, Boise ID. Served in a large teku-style snifter.

A: Gold color with yeasty haze, bright white head with good retention and excellent lace.

S: Musty characters and lighter funk, pale malt and grains, hay, faint lemon, hints of juicy fruit , lemongrass.

T: There is a sweetness to the backbone of this beer, not sure if thats malt character or part of the Brett funk. Moderate lemongrass character, musty dust, pale malt, very little bitterness, hints of apple cider, dry finish with notes of spices and pepper.

MF: Good mouthfeel, light and creamy and fluffy (bottle-conditioned), dry finish, smooth.

O: A well-crafted offering, I believe that a year or two would change this beer considerably. On-tap, the Brett is a nice component.

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2012 19:32:36 | More by Scotchboy

MoreThanWine

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My my. Poured only an 8th inch head but lasted well and stayed laced throughout. Body is a pretty clear gold with even a hint of green gold unless this bar's light is messing with me. Smells richly of malt with a little dried fruit and some tropical unamable funk. Taste is great, echoing the smell and also having hints of cola, pencil shavings, and melon rind. Lasts long on the palette. Nice job Boulevard, you did KC proud.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2012 20:44:10 | More by MoreThanWine

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.7/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ontap at McNellies Tulsa. 8.5oz served in a Boulevard Tulip.

A - Cloudy golden yellow with 2 fingers of white creamy foam. Draped lacing throughout the glass.

A - Brett fills the glass with musky cheese and dusty basement aroma. Bruised orchard peaches, pears, apricots, lemons, and faint spice.

T - Crisp lemon zest and various citrus flavors, very bright, apricots, peaches, pilsner malt, chalky yeast, musty basement yeast, mushrooms, fermented bananas, white pepper, mildly sweet, grassy hops lightly blanket over everything adding a nice layer of bitterness. Finishes extremely dry with some funky lemon in the background.

M - Creamy and crisp at different levels, moderate but soft carbonation.

So glad I found this on tap. Very earthy and funky with an incredible balance of crisp citrus and hops. Complex fruit and subtle malt in the middle. I love this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2012 20:30:36 | More by StaveHooks

hagbergl

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had Boulevard's Saison-Brett on tap at Lord Hobo in Cambridge, MA this past weekend. It being a pretty rare beer to see around in bottles, never mind on tap, I had to give it a try. I'm really getting into Saisons...almost as much as IPAs. Saison-Brett was served in a tulip glass.

Appearance (4/5): Saison-Brett pours a hazy, bright yellow color and is topped with a one-finger white, bubbly head of foam that recedes quickly, forming a ring of white. Saison-Brett is the picture of a typical Saison; it looks nice, but there isn't anything incredibly special about its appearance...it's aroma and taste, on the other hand...

Smell (4.5/5): Saison-Brett smells...well, VERY Brett-y. Funky, peppery, notes from the Brettanoymyces yeast stand out, overshadowing the standard Saison aromas of lemon, grass, wheat, and herbal hops. They aren't completely overshadowed, though, meaning this beer has a strong and complex nose to it. Very interesting. Makes me want to drink it big time!

Taste (4.5/5): I am immediately struck by this beer's similarity to both Green Flash's Rayon Vert and Orval. The Brettanomyces character is just so bold, and in a great way. Brett funk flavor gives way, as in the nose, to herbal, earthy hops (this Saison is dry-hopped), notes of lemon, wheat, and some biscuity malt. Though this is quite a big beer at 8.5% abv, you cannot taste a trace of alcohol flavor. Instead, the tongue is bathed in a soft funkiness that really never becomes sour and evolves as the beer warms. What an ode to strangely balanced yet weird flavor of Brettanomyces!

Mouthfeel (4.5/5): I love the mouthfeel on this beer. The secret, as with all things with this beer, is the Brett. The Brett lends a light prickliness to the feel of this medium bodied beer that is just excellent. The medium carbonation is a good match for this beer and allows it to achieve a smooth and creamy feel. The drinkability is relatively high; this beer goes down easy and never feels 'hot'.

Overall (4.5/5): Saison-Brett is an excellent beer. It has all the elements of a very good big (high abv.) Saison, but the addition of Brett as an integral ingredient puts it over the top and makes it one of the most memorable examples of the style that I have had. If you're curious what a beer with Brett in it tastes like and you're adventurous, you can't go wrong purchasing a glass or bottle of this next time you see it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 02:11:31 | More by hagbergl

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.45/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a tulip glass from the tap at the Royale, St. Louis, MO
Vintage: 2012

Pours a nice solid golden color with slightly hazy body. Nice orange hues on the edges and a white 0.5 inch head forms that is quite dense yet recedes fairly quickly to a nice mat.

Aroma is of spice and funk. Nice and barnyard with nice fruity esters. Chalky yeast aromas and sweetness permeate the beer and mix in with some nice bready grain notes and some slight pear juice notes as well. The funk notes play nice with a slight herbal and grassy hop note. Spices, cloves and peppercorn are present in the nose.

Taste starts off with some good malty background. Grain and bread notes mixed in with some fruity esters. The beer is dry but delicious. Nice funk and barnyard notes mixe in with the fruity esters and compliment the clove and spices very well. Nice coriander notes punctuate a grassy and slightly citrusy hop backed finish. Dry, crisp and clean. Best saison out there.

I love Blvd. yearly offering of this saison. Great brett notes mixed in with a refreshing and juicy saison.

Serving type: on-tap

07-22-2012 15:14:33 | More by JoEBoBpr

homebrew311

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap at Durty Nellies. Appearance is a clear gold with sticky white head, nice lacing left behind. Aroma starts with funky Brett up front, very up front and aromatic. This weaves with lemon and sourdough bread. Lots of complexity in the nose with layers of funk and Brett pairing nicely with the Saison features. Taste is well balanced and refreshing. Brief tartness paired with wheat and bread, finish is slightly sweet. One of the better saisons I have had. Mouthfeel is light and refreshing. Over, this beer is well worth seeking out, especially if you want a nice balanced example of a bretted Saison.

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2012 20:57:06 | More by homebrew311

jneiswender

Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had this beer at the Belgian Beer Festival in Boston. Served out of a pitcher into a 2 ounce tasting glass.

A.off white head. gold orange body

D.grass.herb. fruit

t. Spice. Clove

M.light

D.great and drinkable. I would love to drink this again. Great beer for those who think Saison sucks.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2011 02:50:03 | More by jneiswender

jar2574

Missouri

4.83/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had on tap, a test batch for the 2011 edition. Can't wait for it to be introduced.

Great smell - peaches and barnyardy goodness. Good white head & retention. Moderate cloudiness. The lacing with this one was only OK, which is probably the only clear weakness I saw with this beer.

The taste is very nice. Crisp, with a slightly sour finish. Smooth, a good balance of malts and hops. Peaches and barnyard flavors dominate, as with the smell. On first impression the sourness in the aftertaste was a little surprising, but I got used to it 1/3 of the way into the beer. The smell could have been a touch more powerful - but that's because I enjoyed it so much.

So I'm really nitpicking here. It's a great beer and I'll grab many if I can find it when it's released.

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2011 14:40:54 | More by jar2574

soultrain19

Texas

4.78/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

First pour of the tasting. I had high hopes for this one and as it turns out, rightfully so.

It is a very light yellow billowing into a giant foamy head.

Greeted by the sour Brett aromas. (If you don't like horse blanket, you won't like this.) As one person noted, "Smells dirty like my sock drawer."

My taste buds were assaulted with the barnyard funk but held up with a enchanting light malty sweetness.

Highly carbonated giving it almost a champagne like feel. As it finished crisp and dry.

I definitely was impressed by this creation from Boulevard. I sure do hope to get a chance to try this again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2009 15:51:56 | More by soultrain19

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap special at Cole's with a Boulevard brewer there. Pours a whitish shade of pale.And lace. A little spice in nose, active carbonation (better a few samples of it later). Smooth drinking, creamy. Absolutely smoother than can be expected . A mild bitterness. Had this bottled 3 1/3 years later and found it a showcase of brett taste, but also very boozy.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2008 21:04:33 | More by northyorksammy

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Batch #: 2012-1
Best By Date: 02-2014

A: Beautiful hazy, bright golden-yellow with a seriously massive, bright white, foamy, sudsy, soapy, lumpy head that slowly fades into plenty of lace and retention. One of the best heads I've ever seen.

S: Huge aromas of yeast and Brett. Barny, grassy, almost vinegary. Earth, hay, fresh air. A faint hint of booze when it warms up.

T: Everything in the nose is in the flavor, albeit a bit more booze is detected. Seriously yeasty and Bretty beer here. A little too "hot" for me which is strange. Too much (still not a lot relatively speaking) alcohol is discernible to justify a high score here. Without that this beer is near perfect.

M: Very pleasant feel with the proper body and carbonation you'd expect from the style. Heavy Brett character adds a nice component to it. Not as cloying or chalky as most Saisons tend to be.

O: A phenomenal beer in itself but an even better Saison. This makes me realize that the excitement about Brett is warranted because it can make a beer very special. I'm glad I sat on this for a while because the yeast seemed to really enhance the flavor profile. Delicious stuff.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 19:09:24 | More by Gatch

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.49/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2013

A: Pours a golden yellow color with 3+ fingers of quickly effervescing head that quickly falls to a thin cap

S: Plenty of barnyard and funk going on up front. Get some light fruits and earthiness underneath. Wheaty malts also come through

T: Nice and funky to start off, with a good deal of barnyard and earthiness. Fruitiness is on the lighter side, along with the wheatiness. Finishes with a hint of alcohol and more tart barnyard

M: Medium bodied with moderate-high carbonation

O: An amazing Brett saison with just the right amount of funk to go with the barnyard nature of the style. Definitely Brett focused, and easy to drink. Get some

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2013 00:14:32 | More by BEERMILER12

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.26/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from bottle into stemmed wine Mekong signature glass at Mekong in Richmond Virginia. Wow what a treat! Shared with Issac. Bottle 4100?
Nice golden color with big 2 inch head. Great hop and peppery saison aroma wth a hint of brett funk. Great amazing flavors of funky pils malt, hop, peppery yeast....really subtle but very flavorful and so well balanced. Perfectly dry and crisp.
Such a great brew!

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 15:34:56 | More by DrinkSlurm

Impfan

Washington

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Gorgeous, slightly hazy amber/peachy color, 2- 3 fingers of frothy, lacy head. Amazing, complex aroma and flavor of pear, white grape, peach, graham cracker, pineapple, guava, horseblanket, barnyard funk, clove and coriander, earthy hops, and even a touch of banana.

Creamy body (for the style) with lots of mouth-coating goodness in the very lengthy, dry finish.

This one is about as wonderful as a saison gets.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 19:52:58 | More by Impfan

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.59/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: poured from a 750 mL bottle into a pint glass, golden colored with an enormous white head that lingers leaving good lacing, cloudy

S: tart and lively, tickles the nose, yeast, brett, grain

T: sour up front with fruity tones, pear, citrus, apple

M: medium with lively carbonation

O: the best Boulevard beer I've had, flavors are excellent

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 22:16:35 | More by M_C_Hampton

nawpnawp

Illinois

3.36/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 2012 bottle (aged approx 1 year) into a tulip.

A - Pours a very golden yellow with a lot of head that sticks around for awhile until you take your first sip. Then, it dissipates quickly.

S - Sadly, I'm not getting as much of the funkiness as I expected with a year on it, but it still smells quite earthy and zesty.

T - The initial taste is dry followed by a hint of sweetness. The farmhouse feel is still very present, but I wish I had aged this even longer.

M - This leaves a very dry feel in the mouth. Almost like a dry wine, but it makes the drink very clean with little residual feeling.

I really want to like this since my craft beer taste was developed through years of Boulevard, but it still doesn't hit home. I keep thinking that more aging will make it better, but I'm not so sure anymore. I've still got two bottles of this, so I'll see how it fares in the next 2 years.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 19:05:44 | More by nawpnawp

Bosoxfan20

Missouri

4.48/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Very excited to get my hands on a bottle this year. I had it on tap recently and loved it.

A- Moderate pour leads to a bright, magnificent looking light copper/deep golden color beer with a huge 3.5 finger fluffy white head. Licking my lips as I am ready to dig into this one.

S- Nose lets you know you have something good going on here as it fights through the massive head. Bretty-barnyard funk combines wonderfully with dry hopped aroma of earthy, citrus hops. Wet blanket. Lemongrass. Slight medicinal notes. Touch of spice and peppers in the finish.

T- Follows nose well. Funky. A nice herbal hop presence makes its way. Spice on the back end is perfectly placed. So crisp you can feel it prickling the palate. Got a little bite too it.

M- So refreshing. Creamy, yet perfectly high carbonated. Sits a little heavy for the style, but it not really much of a complaint as it helps to coat the palate. Dry finish.

O- All of the components to an intense, complex, refreshing, yet so seemingly effortless saison. Surprisingly, I don't care much for Tank 7 (supposed to be what this beer is based on), but I love this one. Wish they brewed more of it. One of the best of the style. Period.

Tulip
$11.99 for 750 ml bottle

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2013 03:07:38 | More by Bosoxfan20

darthhamby

Missouri

5/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

When it first opens a rush of floral notes hits you. The eggshell white head about 2.5" thick. Lots and lots of carbonationation. It was like looking at a champagne glass. Very light straw color like SRM 1. Citrus and floral notes followed earthy notes. Stronger than the Tank 7 and can pick up on the Brett yeast. Medium body followed with light lacing. So many flavors jump out like pineapple, lemon, grass and white peach. I am so glad I waited until the release of the 2013 to drink the 2012. Boulevard really out did themselves this time, may need to get a second bottle of the 2013 to age as well.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2013 03:52:43 | More by darthhamby

cooler4life

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2012 Edition, aged for 1 year.

A: Pours an eggshell white head with huge bubbles of clumpy foam. Carbonation appears to be excellent. 3 inch head settles to a 1 finger uneven volumous cloud. Color a bright straw orange with lots of floaties. A volcanic vent of carbonation is streaming from my Duvel tulip. Beautiful.

S: Apricot and citrus dominate...almost like a peach pop tart. Sweet with just a touch of horse blanket and sour patch kids. Musty yet pure. Insanely complex, you get something different with each whiff.

T: Explosive flavor. Apples, pears and lemon with vinegar and black pepper filling in the cracks. Light yeastiness with an almost sourdough flavor. A wonderful balance of grassy hops and Brett funk.

M: Good but not great. It's a little brash, the best I can describe it is that the carbonation, while excellent, is of the "large bubble" type thus exposing your palate to an influx of beach volleyball. It gets more tender as the beer warms.

O: Boulevard does it again. My favorite Saison.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 23:40:39 | More by cooler4life

mokanmikey

Kansas

4.88/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Note this is the 2013 Batch that was just released, time will change this review

A - Hazy golden with small yeast floating, Nice 2-3 finger head leaving after 2 mins, bubble lacing remaining on sides of tulip glass.

S - Much like the Tank 7 from which it is derived but has more of the earthy tones with the "Brett " yeast

T - Grassy, fruity, lemon pineapple, earthy slight bitterness that lingers with the funk that lingers on the back of the throat.

M - Nice carbonation, light and musty lingering on

O - Super beer to sip and enjoy all the flavors that come through and one of the very best of the Farmhouse styles of beer you will every taste ( at least from what I have tasted and read on the style) Highly recommended if you are a fan of this style and a benchmark of American brewed interpretation of the Belgium Farmhouse style.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 03:31:49 | More by mokanmikey

MickeyD

Kansas

4.4/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 750ml bottle into a clean tulip glass.

Appearance: The beer was a cloudy golden color with moderate amount of bubles and 3 finger width of thick head.

Smell: perfumy and grassy hops,

Taste: light and notes of citrus with mild hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel: very light but carbonated, fairly smooth but with a good hop spice.

Overall: I think this is a very good saison. According to Boulevards website it is a take off of their tank 7 just hopped up and fermented with a certain type of yeast. I don’t particularly like farmhouse/saisons but this one is good. I think I will buy more and let it age.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 01:22:44 | More by MickeyD

IPA1978

Missouri

4.46/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2013 release.

A. Hazy gold, massive head that sticks and laces to the end.

S. Pears and apples, musty fruit and grain, straw, citrus...with every sniff their is something new.

T. Spicy, earthy wheat, hops are hard to discern from the onslaught of fruity, spicy, funky flavors but light bitterness is present. Gets even more interesting as it warms, do not serve this to cold. Slight warming effect from the abv adds a finishing touch.

M. Medium body, super fine carbonation, velvety slick.

O. I love this beer more and more every year.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2013 01:20:23 | More by IPA1978

GonzoHomebrewer

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011, consumed a few nights ago.

A- Looks great, golden with some haze, but that is to be expected with dry hopping, frothy white head with some nice lacing on the glass

S- Surprised but I can still pick out some hop aroma in here in addition to obvious brett notes of funk, which seems to blend with the hop aroma and is reminiscent of pineapple juice kept in a barn? Best I can come up with, crazy how the hops and brett are mingling though

T- More of the same, honestly did not expect to pick out much of the hops still, but they are definitely there. I have had an '09 that had 3 years on it and it was too much; no hops at all and brett was very one noted of just this farmhouse funk. This is much better, 2 years seems to be the limit to being able to still have some hop quality

M- prickly fresh carbonation, makes for a quick sipper

O- Great beer, if you have some '11 Saison-Brett laying around, open and consume. I've had this beer with more age on it and it does absolutely nothing for it. Looking forward to opening the '12 I have in the coming to days to see what I prefer.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 23:27:31 | More by GonzoHomebrewer

Siriusfisherman

Montana

4.6/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

2012 Vintage

L: Bright gold, fairly clear, with a huge soapy white head. Carbonation causes little particles to swirl around like yeast flocks in a glass fermenter. Incredible lacing.

A: Big, funky brett notes, very fresh and earthy, as well as some fruity alcohol and zesty citrus hop notes with spicy and herbal complexities. Subtle breadiness from malt and yeast.

T/M: Soft bitterness upfront that roles into a blend of earthy brettanomyces and zesty citrus, herbal, slightly spicy hop flavor. Fruity yeast notes and a dry, bready, pilsnery malt backbone round this one out, combining to give an apple like character. The mouthfeel is thin with a slick texture, and the finish is bone-dry. The high abv is incredibly well masked.

Overall, an amazing Saison. Not just a great showcase of what brettanomyces can do, but an incredible balance and blend of ingredients by the brewer. The complexity is incredible, and all the flavors perform perfectly. I can not recommend this one enough, about the best Saison most states have the honor of receiving.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 01:09:46 | More by Siriusfisherman

deltatauhobbit

Maine

4.11/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 2012
Bottle #5650
Best by February 2014

Pours a golden color with a large bubbly white head, big bubbles, fades fast but actually takes awhile because of the amount of head, only the smallest bits of lacing on the glass.

Smell has a nice funky aroma, hop presence has been muted with the Brett character taking more of a leading role, touch of light fruit and candied sugar.

Taste starts out with a light citrus flavor and builds upon a layer of funk, neither of which is overpowering but nicely balanced, candied sugar adds a touch of sweetness, hop presence is non-existent, carbonation is very light, active and explode in the mouth much like a champagne, finishes slightly dry, alcohol is very well hidden, I would think this closer to a 5% beer except I'm starting to feel it on an empty stomach.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 21:01:00 | More by deltatauhobbit